The Waste Land as a Modern Poem

 "The Waste Land" as a vision of desolation and spiritual draught:

Gist

‘The Waste Land’ by T.s Eliot is considered to be a flagship work of modern era having a didactic aim. Through his work, Eliot laments the loss of spirituality, cultural identity and morality of post-world war I society. This poem serves as a mirror to the modern civilization highlighting its follies and weaknesses. Moreover, Eliot has explicitly criticized the modern period’s secular, liberal, and commercial trends.

Upon critical evaluation, we will conclude that “The Waste Land” corresponds to spiritual turmoil of the modern civilization facing severe desolation.

Spiritual Decay

We all have an appraisal that spirituality and adherence to culture and tradition serves to be the linch pin in the societal frame work.

A society devoid of them represents very weak foundation. Through his work T.S Eliot has explicitly criticized such people having no place for spirituality in their lives.

At the very start of “Burial of dead” the author had exposed such a group having no interest in reformation and spirituality.

“April is the cruelest month”(NKM 106).

For such cold blooded individuals winters serve to be the blessing.

“Winter kept us warm”(106).

It is a well acknowledged fact that spiritual death results in weakening the moral fiber of the individual.

“I had not thought that the death has undone so many”(110).

In ‘The Fire Sermon’ the poet beautifully relates spiritual deprivation with sanctity of Thames.

“The river tent is broken”(173).

Here river is the civilization and broken tent corresponds to spiritual turmoil.

“The river bears no empty bottles,

Sandwich papers silk handkerchiefs,

Card board boxes, cigarette ends

Or other testimony of summers night”(173).

Barren Land

The poet owing to pessimism is depressed due to uncertain future of inhabitants of waste land. This is due to the fact that the fiber of modern civilization is infected now.

“What are the roots that clutches

What braches grow out of this

Stony rubbish”(108).

The modern civilization has now become a barren land so you can’t expect goodness out of it now.

Immorality

Through his work, Eliot has bitterly exposed the immorality and corruption modern period. By the striking use of symbolism he has portrayed an objective image of lustful social setup.

“You gave me hyacinths first a year ago

They called me hyacinth girl”(108).

Here hyacinth flower symbolizes sensuous love.

By employing an allusion from ‘Parliament of Bee’ Eliot has portrayed an image of morally degraded society. Here Sweeney comes to visit Mrs. Porter to satisfy his lust.

“Sweeney to Mrs. Porter in spring(108)”

Moreover the modern man is going through severe spiritual turmoil and crux of his personality has been destroyed.

London and Morality

Once London was consider to be a city of traditions and values. But sadly, the entire civilization is polluted and the image of modern city is distorted now. T.S Eliot has bitterly criticized the shallowness of the London’s life because it is devoid of any spirituality and goodness.

“Unreal city”(128).

“Under the brown fog of winter dawn”(128).

“O city city”(132).

Above quotes basically presents the pathos of the poet.

Symbolism

The flagship work of T.S Eliot is full of abundant symbolism in order to unleash certain abstract concept. In ‘The Fire Sermon’ the word ‘rat’ symbolizes the spiritual degradation.

“Rattled by rat’s foot only year to year”(126).

Afterwards the poet has discussed two hotels which are considered to be the epicenter of physical pleasure and commercialization of sex.

“To luncheon at Cannon Street Hotel

Followed be a weekend at Metropole”(128).

Homosexuality

Religion and traditions are the two core phenomenon that streamlines sexual needs of an individual. Every religion of the world had streamlined the physical relation with the institution of marriage.

Unfortunately, the inhabitants of wasteland do not adhere to religion and thus lacks morality. In ‘The Fire Sermon’ the poet tries to label homosexuality as an evil that is damaging the moral fiber of the community.  We all know that homosexual individual works against the nature’s fixed dogmas.

“Mr. Eugenide, the Smyrna merchant

Unshaven with a packet full of currants

C.i.f London; document at sight

Asked me in demotic French

To luncheon at the common street Hotel

Followed by a weekend at Metro pole”(128).

Sexual Exploitation

In the modern and barbaric social setup of the Wasteland women have to face sexual exploitation. This is partly due to the fact that the inhabitants are devoid of any sort of spirituality. They run behind the physical pleasures without acknowledging its after effects.

This exploitation serves to present the true face of modern setup. In this poem, the author also shares the incident of three girls facing cruel sexual exploitation.

“Richmond and kew undid me”(132).

“By Richmond I raised my knees supine on the floor of narrow canoe”(132).

“I can connect nothing with nothing”(132).

“My people humble who expect nothing”(132).

The last quote is very much significant. The rationale of this quote is to shed light on such social setup in which poor segments of the society have to face the sexual exploitation. They cannot raise their voices because of their low financial status. We can relate this phenomenon to our society as well.

Death as an Ultimate Reality

We all know that death is a bitter reality and everyone has to taste the bitterness of it. Mostly the person of modern setup engages themselves in wordly pleasures and materialistic matters, moving away from spirituality and religion. This is due to the fact that they sometimes forget the ultimate nature of the death. We kept on doing sins and immoral acts forgetting our end.

Sadly the inhabitants of the wasteland are the followers of such philosophy. In ‘Death by Water’ we have a small description of a character Phelbas which is a Phoenician sailor that has lived a life of morally and physically corrupt person forgetting about his end.

“Phelbas the Phoenician, a fortnight dead,

Forget the cry of gulls, and the deep sea swell

And the profit and loss”(140).

Emotionless Relations

Being a social document, The Waste Land focuses the issues and perplexities pertaining to modern civilization. Through his work T.S Eliot criticizes temporary relations. A true relation is usually based upon the connection of souls and not bodies, because the former would lead us towards lust. In ‘The Fire Sermon’ the author has explicitly exposed the true face of the modern civilization where relationships lack permanence and are devoid of true love and affection.

“ Endeavors to engage her in caresses

Which are still unreproved. If undesired”.

“And gropes his way, finding the stairs unlit…

She turns and looks a moment in the glass

Hardly aware of the departed love”(140).

Critical Comments

This volume of ‘The Wasteland’ attracts a lot of critics to give their viewpoints.  As F.R. has righty said that:

“Vision of desolation and spiritual drought”

The wasteland sheds light upon spiritually depraved society that immediately needs reformation. Being a true reformer he has tried to bring reform through his pen.